Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-02-25
WESTERN TEXAS.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THAT REGI'

inquiries regarding Western Texas, al
low me to state few facts, some of them
taken from a recenty-published hand
book of Mitchell county.
Colorado city, the county seat, is 23O
miles west of Fort Worth and about $50
east of Ell Paso, the city that promises to
be the Chicago of the Southwest. Color
ado is situated on the river of the same
name just where it is crossed by the Tex
as and Pacific railroad. 1t is town of
5000 inhabitants and property valua-
ton of 81, 700, 900. 1t has been in exist
ence only since 1881, and yet has about
100 fire-proof brick business blocks and
a very handsome court house, large
enough to accommodate all the offices
when the population of the county has
been many times multiplied. There are
Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and
Baptist churches in the place, each with
a settled pastor, and all working harmon
iously together so far as a stranger could
see. The graded school is a flourishing
institution and seems to be doing good
work, though few private pupils are
taken by two or three different ladies.
We found many cultured people from
different parts of the United States, all
agreeing in the desire to show us all pos
sible kindness and hospitality in their
pleasant little homes.
The business of Colorado is supported
by the trade with ranch and cattlemen,
some of whom come in hundred miles
and more for their supplies. However,
the time is fast approaching when these
herds of cattle will be driven farther
west, as the land is now nearly all fenced
in and is too valuable for farming pur-
poses to be used as pasture. The soils
are a rich, fertile chocolate loan, black
sandy, black waxy and red clay, with
sufficient sand to make it easy of tllage,
the depth of which is from three to five
feet. A test of the various soils proves
that they are rich in phosphates and pc
culiarly adapted to the successful culture
of corn, oats, barley, wheat, cotton.
broom-corn, sorghum, cane. johnson
grass. millet, maize, alfalfa, clover.
sweet and Irish potatoes. turnips and all
other vegetables, melons and fruits. The
river, creeks and branches are skirted
with pecan, blackberry, oak and other
trees. most of which are small but suita-
bic and abundant for fence posts and
fuel. The mesquite trees and bushes,
scattered all over the surface of the coun-
n,,1, n, 10 70 f,,o lint
shade trees for stock in summer. and in
addition they produce bean in great
abundance, which is very nutritious and
on which stock feed in winter with great
avidity. These trees, about the size and
much the general appearance Of peach
trees, do much toward giving the country
an inhabited appearance, so that in riding
about from one ranch to another it is
hard to believe that the houses are every
where from five TO ten miles apart. The
ground is covered with a curly mesquite
grass which is very nutritious and ten
der and cures in the fall, right on the
roots, so that during the winter stock
live and thrive with as little care as in
the summer.
During the winter of 1856 there were
more cold winds than usual, and this,
followed by the terrible drought of last
summer,very largely diminished the prof
it in all kinds of business; but the abund-
ant rains of September gave different
impression to the face of nature as we'll
as that of every stock-raiser.
A more luxurant and beautiful coun-
try than that as it appeared in Octo-
Der it would be hard to find; thus far
through the winter the prospect has con-
tinually frightened. a letter dated Jan.
81 said it was too warm to work out of
doors with a coat on the few cold north
winds had been of brief duration and out
of 1900 sheep but fifteen had been lost,
and twelve of those were killed by wild
cats.
The climate is delightfully."- bracing,
producing the same effect experienced at
Bread Loaf Inn. In summer the temper
ature is often 1909 but there is always
a cool breeze and the nights are COM
Portable. Inc heavenly DOdles are per-
ceptibly higher than in this latitude and
the splendor of the moonlit nights I'M
der that peculiarly clear sky must be
seen to be appreciated. Add to this the
charm of the mockng-bird's song, hour
after hour, and you have a fascination
that will easily keep YOU out of doors till
the wee sma' hours.
Among points of interest are the Lone
Star salt works, located just south of the
city, which are now turning out 200 bar
rels per day of as fine and pure an arti-
Gle of salt as is found anywhere in the
world, the demand being more than the
present facilities are able to supply.
About five miles southeast of Colorado,
tho nnnnnanaa IF thn twn branches of